The Guided Mushroom Walk (Through the Climax Forest) with Alexis Williams will be led by fine art graduate student and amateur mycologist Alexis Williams, whose practice extends from the forest to the laboratory. She uses found and cloned mushrooms to create prints, video and living sculptural art.

This unusual guided hike through the Morgan Arboretum intends to teach you to appreciate and be inspired by the mycology of the forest. Participants will be invited to step off the path where the group will experience making decisions with intuition and their senses, using an arsenal of art and science tools to see, smell and taste the forest from new perspectives. Alexis will introduce you to the world of fungus that is all around us, facilitate conversations about their forms and life cycles and describe and illustrate some of the practical uses and industrial applications of mushrooms and fungi including her own dye and ink making practice, as well as her printing and cultivation projects. Participants will have a chance to share examples of tasty and healthy treats and art.

Alexis uses the act of exploring the forest as a pilgrimage to unveil truths about biology and our place within the ecology of the earth and the ecology of our own bodies. As a mycological artists she aims to work against mycophobia, to encourage appreciation and to increase acceptance and support of new innovation and integration of mycotechnologies into society. By showcasing mushrooms in her work as wondrous, powerful but controllable forces she hopes to invite her viewers to take an interest in mycology and new mycological trends.

The Morgan Arboretum is home to a large collection of trees and varied habitats and so is an ideal place to find a diverse range of mushrooms to stimulate our imaginations.